Tuesday, April 11, 2017

When a holiday comes around
there are many factors for a family to consider. After all, what should be an
enjoyable time can end up in unwanted stress and pressure. When children are
involved this can add an extra layer to special celebrations, religious
traditions and national holidays.

In many cases the
preparation and enthusiasm around holiday events creates a special environment
where a child can participate even if they are not too familiar with the
occasion. This makes for a unique opportunity adults can facilitate.

When dealing with children
consistency and coherency are two crucial tools for parents and holidays are no
exception. Keeping this in mind encourages a smooth transition to the different
people, places and events a child might encounter.

Taking into account the age
of the child and communicating in short clear phrases is a good start. Explaining
situations to a child in a simple way, and reminding them that the parent will
be around throughout the holiday is a way to foster trust and security. With
just this information communicated, the child will feel like they are with
someone in control and feel free to relax and observe the festivities.

It is important to keep in
mind that children require a little more time than adults to adjust to
transitions. By finding simple ways to ease them through these transitions they
will end up more relaxed and receptive to new traditions, celebrations and
people. Activities such as reading books about the particular celebrations or
even letting the child create their own holiday story are a great way to teach
them traditions in a seamless fashion. When it comes to much younger children
they can use crayons or markers to create holiday cards for relatives.

In some cases there may come
situations where a child is in a crowd or exposed to different kinds of
religious imagery they may not be able to fully grasp. While many parents may
feel the inclination towards finding a distraction, reverting to silliness or
simply trying to make them not give in to an impulse to cry. This is all best
avoided with preparation on the parents part which could mean making some
difficult decisions about what kind of holiday traditions or environments may
simply not be appropriate for a child.

In the cases of holiday
travel, including a child in the packing process by giving them some options to
pick from is a great way to show them how things will change, and prepare them
for being somewhere different. Likewise, allowing a child to travel with a
favorite toy sometimes helps them to feel security by having with them
something that connects them to their home.

The same is true for
different foods a child may try for the first time while on a holiday trip.
Again, relying on communication and consistency paired with some forethought,
such as bringing some foods they are familiar with along, can be very helpful
is easing what can be an abrupt change. This kind of attention will make the
child feel both included and secure in participating in the holiday.

Like most things, holidays
also come to an end so it is equally important to have that in mind and
communicate to the child how this period of festivities will come and go.
Keeping some of the books and mementos of the holiday around a little bit past
the actual date will help bridge their transition back to their regular life.
One great example is keeping plastic Easter eggs as sand-box toys.

The periods of transition to
different situations are where children can gain confidence, credibility and a
sense of security. Remembering to respect a child’s transition can make all the
difference having a memorable holiday.

About Magdalena

Education has always been the leading passion in my life, teaching in all levels of education from pre-school to the university level. After earning my elementary teaching diploma, graduating with a degree in History and Geography in Buenos Aires Argentina, I taught for 5 years at the secondary school level and 5 years as a university professor. Upon moving to Mexico I worked as an advisor to the Mexican government researching methods of pre-school and elementary school that had great success in Argentina and adapting them for Mexico at the state level.